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My table saw has rusted

11-24-2009, 06:18 PM

Hi:
I am trying to get my husbands cool table saw to do what I need it to do. The last time I did anything with a table saw was in shop many many moons ago.
I think it has rusted and there are two things I am trying to adjust and it will not adjust.
1. The wheel that adjusts the blade up and down turns, but does not move the saw blade. We mistakenly stored chlorine from the pool in the garage and every tool we own has rust. I have been soaking the underneath of the saw with a rust spray but still no movement...any ideas?
2. The Miter Gauge also seems to have been rusted in place. The stop pin on the front does not pull out.

How would I go about fixing my wonderful saw so that my hubby can use it again and continue fixing and creating wonderful things around the house. His plan is to take it to a service center but I can't find the receipt and I would like to try and fix it without paying first.

Comment

Kroil....Yep, find someone with a big vat of it and dunk the entire saw into it and let it soak for a few days!!!! Kidding aside. When a piece of machinery has been exposed to a corrosive atmosphere for an extended period, sometimes the only way to fix it , is to pull it apart and clean up the corrosion, maybe replace some totaly frozen components and put it back together correctly. If you don't know how to do that I suggest getting the name of a trustworthy repair shop and asking them if the saw can be repaired more inexpensively than replacing it.
Good luck....Ray

My problem is not in the workings of the saw, the whole cast iron table top has a layer of rust on it. How do I clean that off and keep it from happening?

Love and TLC.

Use a fine grit steel wool and clean off the rust, and then coat it with a wax finish. Use "Johnson's Paste Wax", or something similar. Whatever you do, don't use a silicone-based wax (like many car waxes), as this won't be good for your table saw, nor your cut materials. WD-40 or 409 cleaner should work good for you to get clean any rust buildup if needed. My 2 cents.

Comment

I would use some 400 to 600 grit wet/dry sand paper in a finish sander. Sand it dry and use your shop vac to suck up the rust dust, try not to breathe the rust dust, it is not good for you. After you get it nice and shiney and slicked back up I always use the Johnsons paste wax on mine also, helps to seal the cast iron and will let you lumber slide a bit easier. Best thing is to keep it in the dry, preferably in a climate controlled area so it does not "sweat" as the weather changes.

Push sticks/blocks Save Fingers
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Comment

My problem is not in the workings of the saw, the whole cast iron table top has a layer of rust on it. How do I clean that off and keep it from happening?

It's no problem. Just hit it with your 1/4 sheet orbital sander 'til it shines up. Or an air jitterbug if you have one. Shouldn't take more than 5 minutes unless the whole thing is heavily crusted. Use regular aluminum oxide paper. Emery paper or cloth is too aggressive, but regular sandpaper on the machine won't take off enough of the surface to create any waviness or ever even notice.

Once in a while I wipe mine down with mineral spirits (paint thinner). It seems to work fine. Soime use Boeshield, but you have to buy some... paint thinner you already have. Many use wax.... I don't like wax, as I don't like any getting on the wood before applying finish. But many report no problems. Definitely, use nothing containing silicone (ever-ever-ever!!).